U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,141, Scull et al., demonstrates a process for the removal of ethylene from silane. According to Scull et al. ethylene is removed from a silane stream by passing the contaminated silane through a column of zeolite, preferably zeolite A having a 4 Angstrom micropore. This 4 Angstrom zeolite A has a high capacity for ethylene and is readily regenerated. Since this work was conducted, however, it has been found that this method removes most ethylene, but converts a significant amount into another silane contaminant, ethylsilane.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,816 (Marlett) describes a process for the production of high purity silane by reacting silicon tetrafluoride exclusively with sodium aluminum tetrahydride, potassium aluminum tetrahydride, or a mixture of the two, preferably in an inert liquid reaction medium comprising an ether.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,092 (Boone et al.) teaches a process for continuously preparing silane and a coproduct by reacting a metal hydride such as NaAlH.sub.4 with a silicon halide, such as SiF.sub.4, by utilizing equipment which includes, in series, a primary reactor, a secondary reactor and a separation zone.